Cairo: Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi delivered a keynote address at the opening of the second day of the Africa Down Under Mining and Energy Conference in Perth, Australia. In his remarks, he outlined Egypt's efforts to advance its mining sector, highlighting legislative reforms and the adoption of a competitive fiscal regime aimed at making the country an attractive destination for international investors. He noted that these measures, supported by Egypt's vast natural resources and robust infrastructure, are expected to raise the mining sector's contribution to GDP to between 5 and 6 percent in the coming years.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the minister stressed that this was Egypt's first, but not last, participation in the conference, underscoring the government's commitment to creating a favorable investment climate. He pointed to the modernization of Egypt's gold and mineral investment framework in line with global best practices, the transformation of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority into an independent economic entity, and plans to launch a nationwide aerial survey to map mining potential. He also announced the development of a modern digital platform to showcase exploration data and investment opportunities, modeled on Egypt's EUG portal for oil and gas.
Badawi further emphasized Egypt's ambition to become a regional hub for value-added mineral industries, citing projects such as the Abu Tartour phosphoric acid complex. He underlined the country's strategic location, rich geological diversity, strong infrastructure, and investor-friendly legislation, as well as diversified energy resources.
Concluding his address, he invited participants to attend the next edition of the Egypt Mining Forum. The minister's address was attended by several prominent figures, including David Michael, Minister of Mines and Petroleum in the Government of Western Australia; Emmanuel Armah, Ghana's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources; and Stuart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at global mining giant AngloGold Ashanti, along with representatives of leading African and Australian mining companies.